Juneau will need luck with Wal-Mart in town

Posted: Monday, June 11, 2007

I agree with Doug Cooper (Wednesday's Empire) to the extent that an 8-year-old is not likely informed or educated enough to write an opinion letter to the editor. However, I strongly disagree with Cooper's comparison of "It's kind of like the terrorists using kids as suicide bombers." This comparison is nothing short of idiotic.

Also, his comments regarding Wal-Mart lead me to believe he is an employee or stockholder in the company. It is no secret that Wal-Mart has a history of below- poverty level wages; pressuring employees to work extra hours without overtime pay; immediately terminating any employee that merely mentions unionization; encouraging employees to seek public assistance for health insurance and other services; using cheap foreign labor to manufacturer its goods, costing American jobs; and a long history of predatory pricing, thus killing the local economy.

Cooper, and those supporting the entrance of Wal-Mart into the Juneau economy, would do themselves a service to view the documentary "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price."

I wish the local business owners and employees of Juneau all the best of luck in the future. You'll need it.